January isn't my favourite month of the year. It tends to fall a bit flat after December which is packed full of lots of my favourite events. It lacks a highlight, January needs re-branding, really it does...well done the Scots and the Chinese for getting there first on that one.
I always breathe a sigh of relief when February comes around, yay - February - month of valentines and pancakes and little spinglike signs starting to appear. Daffs in the shops and on the market stalls, mini eggs in the shops (you know you'll succumb before Easter!).
Today is R-minus-6-sleeps til our Retreat Day. I schedule Retreat Day completely selfishly. Its my reward for getting through January! Have you started packing for the Retreat yet? Twice a year we take over a lovely old Victorian School House for the day and we pack it full of laughter and chat, delicious food and a surprising amount of sewing...considering how much chatting and wine and tea and cake get fitted in too!
Retreat Day packing is a finely tuned art. Just how many projects you do you need to take? Should you swap projects mid way through the day for variety? Is it better to hand sew and chat, or do you get more done whizzing on the sewing machine, buoyed on by the humm of 20 other machines all rattling away? Can you do without your whole stash or bring everything just in case?!?!?
This week we have been so productive at The Workroom! On Tuesday we made such a gorgeous array of Fabric Baskets. These ladies were soooo pleased with their sewing, and so they should be ! Look at the lovely fruits of their labours! All week its been bone chillingly cold outside, but sunny and warm in our south facing workroom as we've sewn away.
Tuesday evening we kicked off a brand new Farmers Wife Class for the evening. Farmers Wife is such a daunting quilt at class 1 and I'm always so pleased when I get a class who just can't wait to get stuck in to the challenge. My daytime class have just passed the halfway stage and their blocks piles are growing bigger and more fabulous with each month. I can't wait to see what my evening class produce. They all chose such lovely fabric that I can't wait to see what they come back with next month.
Wednesday was class 2 for this terms Simple Sampler class. Their first class was a HUGE learning curve for our beginner patchworkers, but you'd never know this week as they came back after just 2 weeks, but transformed into patchworkers already - sharing their enthusiasm and excitement at those first blocks - they'll always remember them - and I always do too. Love Simple Sampler - special.x
Thursday the snow was flurrying, but the work room was full of warm chat and lots of lovely new customers popping in to see what we do, sharing sewing stories and wanting to join in with our lovely PlainStitch groups. It's so nice being able to invite new people in knowing what a warm welcome they'll get at any of our events. Thank you all for being so kind to newbies. It must be daunting - there's so many of us and we do all love to chat!
Thursday evening Claire's super inspiring Machine Embroidery group met again, and wow. We say it every time Claire teaches this class, but every time the bar gets raised. Claire's thoughtful class really awakens a sometimes dormant creative streak in everyone who takes this class and everyone is surprised and pleased with what they produce. Each piece of work is completely personal to the maker - no sewing by templates here.
Friday, Jeanne's Little Girls Dressmakers started their dressmaking journey, pattern pieces cut out and the sewing begins!
Saturday our Teens class were cool as cucumbers again, sewing buttonholes and taking to sewing machine servicing like ducks to water - straight in their with a screwdriver and a bottle of sewing machine oil! They'd sewn up a storm on the Koala mittens too - these Koalas are seriously not going to want to give their mittens up! Evolution might be about to take a strange U turn! My Big Miss Stitch is delighted with the bulging envelope that she's sending off to Oz - thankyou to everyone who made a pair ( quad?).
We're working hard behind the scenes on our Autumn/Winter class line up ( I know! Even we are amazed how organised we feel! Things may go down hill as they year goes on, but start well, start well!) Claire has been working on the class samples for our Patchwork Sewing Machine class which starts in June. I LOVE her machine cover. I really want one, now! Sign up quick if you fancy coming to this class - it will sell out quickly - Beautiful and useful, perfect project!
I'm still deep in my Pouch-Phase! I'll show you what i've been working on soon! (happy skippy feet moment!). Victoria is sewing up a storm making bunting and embroidering needlebooks ( can't wait to show you the class sample for this one - adorable!)..............plus lots of top secret squirrel action for the autumn. We love our job!
Don't forget we are at St Anne's on Tuesday for The Wendover Sewing Bee 9.30am - 12pm. We'll be kicking off our 2015 Project, the Wendover Parish Council - Wendover Remembers Quilt. We're really excited about this and we can't wait to share the details with you and get everyone involved.
Dates for your diary.........
Thurs 26th Feb - it's our 1st Birthday! We're having an all-day party. You're all invited......more details to come.xx
Fri March 13th 12pm - 2.30pm we're having a Comic Relied Crafternoon - come along, try a project from the fab Comic Relief Crafternoon book ( available from Sainsburys stores), make a donation and have a cuppa and a slice of cake.
Do keep an eye on our
Facebok Page this week where we will be counting down the sleeps til Retreat Day with some sneak peaks at everyone packing for the Big Day plus the menu etc.....
Finally..........
Just to get you in the Retreat Week lighter than light mood - we're running a little
Flash Sale Event........you know we love those...............to say Hello February! We've pulled out all of our skinny bolts ( * ie not much fabric left on the bolt!) and we're selling them off at £10/m. Stock up on your favourites before they're gone!
Pop in to the Bee or The Workroom all this week for some super spring bargains to kick start your spring sewing.....they won't last long...........
